CHAPTER 3
2218 Words
AZULA
After five long years, I was finally seeing my parents again. The car ride felt endless, and my thoughts were all over the place. I didn’t know what to expect, or how I should even feel. Was I supposed to be excited? Nervous? Maybe both.
My heart beat faster with every passing street, and the closer we got to the house, the tighter the knot in my stomach grew.
Suddenly, I felt a warm hand gently cover mine.
“Relax,” Zev said softly, glancing at me with a small, reassuring smile. “Mum’s over the moon that you’re coming back home.”
I nodded, trying to hold on to the comfort his words offered.
“And Dad?” I asked quietly, unsure if I even wanted to hear the answer.
Zev’s smile faded just a little, and I saw the way his shoulders stiffened before he answered. “You know how Dad is. He’s never been great at showing how he feels. But… I’m sure he’s glad you’re home too. He just has his own way of showing it.”
He gave my hand a gentle squeeze, then let go, resting his arm back on the console between us.
After a moment of silence, he glanced at me again. “You never did tell me what really happened between you and Caius.”
I bit my lower lip, hard enough that it almost hurt, and turned my face toward the window.
“He cheated,” I said finally, my voice low, like it hurt to speak the words aloud.
Almost without thinking, my hand moved to rest gently over my stomach—a small, protective gesture I hadn’t even noticed until it happened. I still hadn’t told Zev about the baby. I didn’t know how. Every time I thought about saying it, the words caught in my throat.
“He got another woman pregnant,” I added, “and now he wants to marry her.”
“Motherfucker,” Zev spat, his jaw tightening. “Who the f**k does he think he is?”
His anger was sudden and fierce, but protective. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I smiled genuinely.
His reaction made me feel seen. Defended.
“I’m going to make him pay,” Zev growled. “He doesn’t get to walk away from you like that. Not after everything.”
I turned to look at him then, shaking my head slowly. “I think that’s my battle to fight,” I said softly.
Zev glanced at me, his eyes scanning my face like he was searching for something—maybe for the pain I was trying to hide, or the strength I was barely holding onto.
He shook his head, his expression shifting from anger to guilt.
“I hated myself,” he murmured. “All these years. For not calling. For not texting. For following Dad’s orders and keeping my distance like it was the right thing to do. I convinced myself that maybe that b*st*rd was doing better by you. That maybe he was giving you the love and attention we didn’t.”
His voice broke a little, and my chest tightened at the sound of it.
“And now you tell me he didn’t just let you down—he hurt you.”
Zev reached for my hand again, this time lifting it gently to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to the back of my palm, holding it there for a heartbeat longer than expected.
“This is our battle, Azura,” he whispered. “And I swear to you, he’s going to kiss the very dust of this earth for what he’s done to you. I’ll make sure of it.”
Just then, the car rolled to a stop outside the gates of the villa—the same wrought-iron gates I used to sneak out of as a teenager, the same ones I never thought I’d see again. They creaked open slowly, almost dramatically, and we drove through.
As the familiar white-stoned house came into view, my heart thudded heavily against my chest.
And then I saw her.
My mother.
She was standing just outside the porch, her eyes already glistening with tears as she clutched a handkerchief in one hand. The moment the car came to a stop and I opened the door, she broke into a sob, rushing down the steps with outstretched arms.
“Azula!” she cried, her voice trembling.
Before I could ready myself, she wrapped her arms tightly around me, pulling me into the kind of hug that made time pause. She clung to me like she was afraid I might disappear again.
“I missed you, princess,” she wept into the crook of my neck, her body shaking. “I missed you so much.”
I held her close, my arms instinctively circling around her. Her familiar scent, a mix of jasmine and fresh linen, filled my nose.
“I missed you too, Mum,” I whispered, blinking back my own tears. “So much.”
She pulled back just enough to kiss my neck—an old habit from my childhood—then cupped my face briefly before wiping at her cheeks with the handkerchief.
“Come,” she said, gently grabbing my hand like she used to when I was little. “Your dad’s waiting for you in his study.”
Her tone softened.
“After that,” she added, trying to lighten the mood, “we’ll go upstairs and check out your room. I made some changes to it while you were away. I think you’ll like it.”
“She’s not staying,” Zev’s voice cut in from behind.
Mum stopped in her tracks and turned to glance at him, then quickly looked back at me, her brows drawn together in confusion. “You’re… not staying?”
I met her eyes, hesitating for a heartbeat before giving a small nod. “I can’t, Mum. I’m trying to find my footing again—to figure out who I am now. And I can’t do that if I’m here, under the same roof with you and Dad. As much as I love you both, you’d try to make decisions for me… steer my life the way you think is best.”
I reached for her hand gently. “I’ll visit. Often, I promise. But for now… I need space to breathe.” To heal.
Her expression faltered, the disappointment clear in her eyes, but she didn’t argue. Not really. She simply gave a small nod, though I could see the inner conflict in the tight press of her lips and the way she gripped my hand a little too tightly.
She said nothing more as we reached the door to Dad’s study. Her knuckles tapped lightly against the wood before she turned the knob and pushed it open.
We stepped inside.
The scent of old books, leather, and aftershave hit me instantly—so familiar, yet now it felt strangely foreign.
Dad sat behind his massive oak desk, his eyes glued to the screen of his laptop. The moment he heard the door open, he looked up—and for just the briefest second, something shifted in his expression.
His gaze landed on me, and I could’ve sworn I saw relief flash in his eyes. A softness that hadn’t been there in years. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced by the cold, composed look I had known all my life.
“Hello, Dad,” I said quietly as I moved to sit in the chair across from him.
Mum settled into the other seat beside me, her hand still resting on my arm for support, while Zev remained behind me.
“I see you finally made the right decision and cut ties with that leech,” Dad said, his voice cold, as if he were talking about a business deal gone wrong instead of the man I once thought I’d build a future with.
Even before Zev could respond—I reached up and placed a hand gently over his where it rested on my shoulder. I gave it a firm, silent squeeze. A warning. He stayed quiet.
“I guess I should have listened to you,” I said softly, letting out a sigh. “Maybe things wouldn’t have ended this way.”
Because if Dad ever found out the full truth—what Caius really did to me—he wouldn’t stop cutting him off or throwing around threats. He would drag Caius through court, slam him behind bars, and make sure he rotted there for the rest of his life. And no matter how much Caius hurt me, that wasn’t the ending I wanted for him.
Dad nodded once, clearly satisfied with my answer but not entirely softened by it.
“You should have,” he said bluntly. Then, without missing a beat, he opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a slim folder, setting it down in front of him. “But since you’re back, and this chapter is finally closed, I think it’s time we properly reintroduce you to the world.”
I blinked, unsure what he meant.
“I’ve arranged a few things,” he continued. “Public appearances, some light responsibilities within the company—nothing overwhelming. Just enough to keep your mind occupied and remind people who you are. No more hiding in the shadows because of that fool.”
My fingers brushed against the edge of the folder, but it didn’t opened it yet.
Behind me, Zev spoke, his tone gentler now. “Are you okay with granting interviews? You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, Azula. Not one thing.”
“Shut the f*ck up,” Dad snapped. His eyes locked onto Zev with a fierce intensity. “Are you going against my orders right to my face?”
I felt Zev’s body stiffen at Dad’s words. “I’m just making sure she’s comfortable, Dad. She just came back home to us. We can’t overwhelm her right away. We don’t want her regretting this.”
Mum, who had been silent until now, nodded in agreement.
Taking a deep breath, I placed my hand on Zev’s arm, offering a reassuring smile. “I’m fine,” I said. “I’m okay with granting interviews. It’s time to move forward.”
Dad studied me for a moment, still skeptical, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he pushed a thick envelope toward me across the desk.
“This is another company we opened under KOLL,” he began, his tone a little more controlled now. “Since Zev is busy with the main company, I think it’s time you took the reins here.”
I reached for the envelope and began flipping through the pages inside. The documents were official, well-structured. My name was already on the papers—clear and bold.
“It was opened in your name already. Bringing you in shouldn’t be an issue. You’ve got the skills, and now you’ve got the time. I think it’s about time you stepped up.”
I looked at the papers, the reality of it sinking in. This was it—the opportunity I’d been waiting for, the chance to prove myself, not just to them, but to myself as well.
“You will be working closely with Marek Faelan,” Dad said, his voice taking on a matter-of-fact tone as he slid another set of papers in my direction. “Seeing that he is the major shareholder of that company, he pushed hard to ensure that it was registered under your name.”
My eyes widened in shock. “Faelan?”
Dad’s gaze hardened, his eyes narrowing into slits as if expecting me to say something defiant. “Don’t worry, he’s moved on from the embarrassment you caused him,” he bit out. “So I suggest you keep things professional when working with him.”
“Speaking of public appearances,” Zev interjected, “I think Azura should be the one to represent KOLL at the awarding of government funding to the small companies that applied.”
Wait a minute! “The Revolution Government funding?” I blurted out before I could stop myself, the shock evident in my voice.
Zev turned toward me, his expression serious. “Yes. Have you heard about it?”
I nodded slowly, my heart thumping in my chest. “Yes,” I muttered, my thoughts instantly flicking to Caius. That same funding… the one he had applied for. The same funding that had driven him to cheat on me.
Zev’s eyes softened as he picked up on the change in my mood but he continued explaining. “Well, since we’re one of the major investors in the project, our company was given the privilege of interviewing small companies and selecting the ones that will receive funding.”
Now, this is getting interesting. “I see,” I said, my voice taking on a more confident tone as I leaned forward slightly. “That sounds… interesting.”
“Are you game?”
A slow smile spread across my lips. “Sure,” I replied. “I’d love to get involved.”
- Writer
