Page 7
Story: Moonlit Betrayal
Seth rushed over after hearing the noise and was taken aback when he saw Zane. “Mr. Thorne, please. You need to pull yourself together!”
Zane didn’t seem to hear him. He kept ripping the bedsheet apart, and Seth stumbled back, bumping into the nightstand. An envelope slipped off and fluttered to the ground.
Zane paused briefly before reaching for the envelope, which he tore open to reveal my goodbye letter inside.
“Zane, living in this house without you is unbearable. Every time I look at Dorian, I think of you. The pain prevents me from sleeping. It’s eating me alive every night. That is why I am leaving. I’m going home to try and move on.”
The words hit Zane like a punch in the chest, and he crumpled to the floor, clutching the letter. Tears flooded his vision, making everything hazy.
Seth noticed him unravelling and moved in, his voice low and worried. “Zane, don’t tear yourself up like this. Ms. Black, even from heaven, would not want you to be hurt like this.”
Zane’s head snapped up, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Seth. “You are correct. Falling apart will not help. I need to know what really happened to Lyra before she fell!”
His body was weak, but he pushed through it, demanding, “Track down every detail about Lyra’s movements before she falls off the cliff.” I need to know which rogues targeted their car!”
Seth didn’t waste any time and immediately began the investigation.
…
Seth returned a few days later with the results, his expression grim as he stood before Zane.
Zane’s eyes landed on the tablet in Seth’s hand, and a knot of dread tightened in his stomach. He took the device and swiped through the report, his expression darkening with each swipe.
Later, the screen displayed surveillance footage from a hospital hallway; I was sitting on a bench, clutching the hem of my shirt, my eyes hollow.
When my phone buzzed, I picked it up and saw a flood of messages; my face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Zane noticed how my hands trembled as I opened the attached video; my body shook as if a live wire had just struck me.
He recognised the images in the video Anastasia had sent me, which showed him and Anastasia holding hands, wrapped in each other’s arms, and even curled up close on a Ferris wheel.
After seeing those photos, I collapsed sideways onto the bench, as if all of my energy had been drained away. I covered my face with both hands, my shoulders hitching with silent sobs.
Zane’s chest tightened so much that it hurt to breathe as he watched me; he couldn’t imagine my despair and agony at the time.
His hands trembled as he clicked to the next page, revealing a medical report. Anastasia’s name stood out in bold letters, and the results hit him like a punch in the gut: Anastasia had never been pregnant.
Zane’s body went weak, and he collapsed to the floor as he remembered how he had thrown me away for nothing more than Anastasia’s lie. The weight of regret fell on him.
Zane didn’t seem to hear him. He kept ripping the bedsheet apart, and Seth stumbled back, bumping into the nightstand. An envelope slipped off and fluttered to the ground.
Zane paused briefly before reaching for the envelope, which he tore open to reveal my goodbye letter inside.
“Zane, living in this house without you is unbearable. Every time I look at Dorian, I think of you. The pain prevents me from sleeping. It’s eating me alive every night. That is why I am leaving. I’m going home to try and move on.”
The words hit Zane like a punch in the chest, and he crumpled to the floor, clutching the letter. Tears flooded his vision, making everything hazy.
Seth noticed him unravelling and moved in, his voice low and worried. “Zane, don’t tear yourself up like this. Ms. Black, even from heaven, would not want you to be hurt like this.”
Zane’s head snapped up, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Seth. “You are correct. Falling apart will not help. I need to know what really happened to Lyra before she fell!”
His body was weak, but he pushed through it, demanding, “Track down every detail about Lyra’s movements before she falls off the cliff.” I need to know which rogues targeted their car!”
Seth didn’t waste any time and immediately began the investigation.
…
Seth returned a few days later with the results, his expression grim as he stood before Zane.
Zane’s eyes landed on the tablet in Seth’s hand, and a knot of dread tightened in his stomach. He took the device and swiped through the report, his expression darkening with each swipe.
Later, the screen displayed surveillance footage from a hospital hallway; I was sitting on a bench, clutching the hem of my shirt, my eyes hollow.
When my phone buzzed, I picked it up and saw a flood of messages; my face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Zane noticed how my hands trembled as I opened the attached video; my body shook as if a live wire had just struck me.
He recognised the images in the video Anastasia had sent me, which showed him and Anastasia holding hands, wrapped in each other’s arms, and even curled up close on a Ferris wheel.
After seeing those photos, I collapsed sideways onto the bench, as if all of my energy had been drained away. I covered my face with both hands, my shoulders hitching with silent sobs.
Zane’s chest tightened so much that it hurt to breathe as he watched me; he couldn’t imagine my despair and agony at the time.
His hands trembled as he clicked to the next page, revealing a medical report. Anastasia’s name stood out in bold letters, and the results hit him like a punch in the gut: Anastasia had never been pregnant.
Zane’s body went weak, and he collapsed to the floor as he remembered how he had thrown me away for nothing more than Anastasia’s lie. The weight of regret fell on him.