Seeing you again

Chapter 40

Third Person POV

In the dimly lit room, Zach and Donna faced each other, the tension crackling like electricity between them. Matt and Agatha in the background, almost forgotten.

Zach didn't say anything. He didn't say anything for a long time.

Just kept sipping his tea, slow and agonizing. It made Donna more nervous.

She wanted this over with. She wanted him and Wendy's mother and the man she recognized as Francisca's stepfather to leave. He can say what he came here to say and get out of her life forever.

Her past plans never worked, and she was just so tired. She didn't care anymore, she doesn't have any more grand plans. She just wants to put this whole thing behind her.

When Zach finally spoke, his voice was like ice, each word cutting through the air with precision.

"Donna, the time for your lies and deception is over, it's time to bring your secrets to light."

Donna's breath caught in her throat, her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to maintain her composure.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Donna lies, which makes Zach smirk.

"Oh?" He says.

Zach slowly pulls out the file that has incriminating evidence of Donna's involvement with the kidnapping.

She takes it, opens it and the others in the room can see her eyes moving, roaming across the papers, and panic begins to finally show on her face.

"You don't understand." Donna says, shakily.

Zach raises an eyebrow, "what don't I- don't we understand." He gestures to Matt and Agatha.

Donna looks at them then quickly glances back at Zach who looks to be enjoying this more and more by the second.

Donna takes a deep breath and speaks. "Wendy, she was unwell, Zach. You know this. But I didn't know it at the time, or at least the extent of it. She convinced me that you were a danger, that she needed my help to protect herself and her daughter.

"She said that you were abusing her! That she was scared that it was only a matter of time before you sent her away and was alone with Francisca. I believed my best friend at the time, but I now know that all her accusations were untrue, I know that she was only paranoid about being sent away like how her parents did when she was little." She gives a pointed look at Agatha who averts her gaze and looks at the floor. "I thought that I was doing the right thing."

Zach was confused, his fury turning cold before a voice sounded behind him. "That's not true." The voice- Matt said.

We all turn to Matt who has turned sheepish for a second before putting on a determined look on his face.

"Wendy never said that." He said, to which Donna scoffs.

"She could've just not told you-

"Despite what anyone in this room might think, Wendy and I loved each other, I knew her, and she would've told me if that happened.

"She wanted me to be on board with the idea that Fran's father was out of the picture and was never coming back, she fabricated some story about a divorce deal with separating the kids. I questioned how a father could do that at first, I questioned how she could. She had the perfect opportunity to say that it's a safety issue, that Zach was an abusive monster, but she didn't, she didn't say anything, just that this was their decision because they couldn't get along anymore."

"That doesn't prove-"

"She could've told me the same lie that you claim she told you but she didn't!" Matt interrupts.

Zach narrows his eyes back at Donna. "Tell me the truth, Donna."

She gulps nervously.

Then, Zach slams his palm on the desk, making everyone flinch.

"I loved you!" Donna declares.

The room became so silent you could hear a pin drop.