Redemption of hearts

Closure or chaos!

Liza pov

Liza's Apartment – Evening

The doorbell rang just as I was tossing my phone onto the couch. I sighed, rubbing my temples. Samuel's antics had drained me of whatever patience I had left.

"Coming!" I called out, dragging myself to the door.

I swung it open to find Zoya standing there, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a bag of snacks in the other. Her usual infectious grin was plastered across her face, but it faltered as soon as she saw mine.

"You look like you've been hit by a train," she said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"Close," I said, shutting the door behind her. "I've been dealing with Samuel Parker."

She froze mid-step, then turned to me slowly, her eyes wide. "Samuel Parker? As in our  Samuel Parker?"

"The one and only," I replied, plopping down on the couch.

Zoya followed, setting the wine and snacks on the coffee table. "Wait. Back up. You never told me Samuel was in Seattle!"

"That's because I didn't know," I said, grabbing the wine bottle and twisting off the cap. "Imagine my surprise when I literally bumped into him at the airport. And now, guess what? He's my neighbor. And my client."

Her jaw dropped. "What kind of rom-com hell have you walked into?"

"Rom-com?" I scoffed, pouring wine into a glass. "Try horror."

Zoya leaned back, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe this. I mean, Samuel of all people. How does this even happen?"

"I have no idea, but the universe clearly hates me." I took a long sip of wine, letting the warmth calm my nerves. "And the worst part? He's acting like nothing ever happened, like he didn't completely wreck me six years ago."

Zoya frowned, her playful demeanor fading. "Liza, I know he hurt you, but maybe—"

"No," I cut her off, setting the glass down. "Don't. Don't try to defend him. You weren't there. You don't know how much it broke me."

She reached over, placing a hand on mine. "You're right. I wasn't there. But I know you, Liza. And I know Samuel. He wasn't perfect, but he cared about you."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, cared so much that he walked away without a second thought."

Zoya was quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe this is your chance to get closure. To finally put it all behind you."

"Closure?" I echoed. "There's no closure to be had. He's determined to make my life a living hell, and I'm not going to let him win."

Zoya smirked, leaning forward. "So what's the plan, then? Knowing you, you've already got something cooking."

I grinned despite myself. "Oh, I've got plans. Big ones. If he thinks he can rattle me, he's sorely mistaken."

Zoya laughed, raising her wine glass in a mock toast. "There's my girl. You always were the queen of chaos."

We clinked glasses, and for a moment, the weight of the day lifted.

"So," I said, changing the subject, "enough about Samuel. How's the wedding planning going?"

Her eyes lit up, and she launched into a detailed description of venues, dresses, and guest lists. It was comforting to hear her talk about something so normal, so happy.