Zac's POV
The moment Fatima walked out that door, everything in me told me I'd lost her. She didn't say it outright—she was too calm for that—but I could see it in her eyes. She was tired, and Sabrina always hovering over us like a storm cloud. And when she left with Kolby, flying back to LA, I thought, That's it. She's not coming back.
Days passed, and I did everything I could to convince myself that maybe it was for the best. That I couldn't keep dragging Fatima into my messy past with Sabrina. But the truth was, I wasn't okay. Every missed call from Fatima felt like another knot tightening in my chest. Every time my phone buzzed, I hoped it would be her saying she'd had enough time to think.
But nothing. Just silence. Even with us both knowing Sabrina lied.
Sabrina had gotten into Fatima's head. She always knew how to say just the right thing to make everything worse. I thought we were past it, but she found a way in again, making Fatima question whether I was really ready to have Kolby full-time. Making me wonder if Fatima really wanted to be in Kolby's life at all.
After Sabrina's text a couple days ago the anger hit me first, sharp and hot, burning under my skin. I wanted to call Sabrina right then and let her have it—tell her that whatever game she thought she was playing, she wasn't going to win.
But what good would it do? She'd just twist my words, make me sound unreasonable, and somehow I'd be the one in the wrong again. That's how it always went with her.
So I sat there in my quiet hotel room, phone in hand, feeling helpless. I tried calling Fatima, but it went straight to voicemail. I left a message, but it felt pointless.
For days, I stayed in that limbo—waiting, hoping, not knowing if Fatima would talk to me again. And then tonight, out of nowhere, she showed up at my door.
When I opened it, I just stood there for a second, stunned, like I'd dreamed her into existence. But Kolby wasn't with her. That was the first thing I noticed, and it hit me like a punch to the gut.
"You left her with Sabrina?" I asked, my voice low, trying to keep my frustration in check.
Fatima nodded, stepping inside. "I had to," she said softly. "For now."
For now. I hated the way those words sounded. I hated that Sabrina still had any control over my life, over my daughter's life.
"I didn't know if you were coming back," I admitted.
Fatima's expression softened, and she stepped closer, her hand finding mine. "Neither did I," she whispered. "But I'm here, Zac. I'm here."
I exhaled, the tension in my chest loosening just a little. It wasn't everything, but it was enough for now.
I ran my hand over the back of my neck, the weight of everything sitting heavy between us. Fatima was right here, standing in front of me, but it didn't make the guilt any lighter. If anything, it made it worse. She came back. She chose me, despite all of it.
I swallowed hard, meeting her gaze. "I'm sorry," I said quietly, the words feeling heavier than I expected. "For all of it—for Sabrina, for dragging you into this mess. I didn't think... I didn't think enough about what all of this would do to you."
Fatima looked at me, and for a moment, I couldn't tell what she was thinking. She just stood there, arms crossed, her eyes soft but cautious—like she was waiting to see if I was really going to go there. If I was really ready to face what had been hanging over us this whole time.
"When we started... I didn't think about what it would mean for you. How hard it would be, being caught between us." I exhaled slowly. "I was so focused on having you in my life, I didn't think about what it might cost you."
