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She was no longer alone.
“You’ve become quite skilled at feigning being a comatose woman,Comare.”
At the sound of that familiar voice, shock coursed through Zafira like electricity. It threatened to unravel her composure. However, years of rigorous emotional control proved to be her saving grace at this critical moment. She lay perfectly still, not allowing a muscle to twitch in response to the tide of emotions flooding her heart and mind.
“Ah, so that’s your game,” he drawled near her ear. “You intend to continue this charade of comatose. Rest assured, I’m not fooled.”
What’s he doing here? Did he come to finish the job he botched, or are my suspicions correct about him?Her heartbeat quickened, a wild symphony of anxiety, surprise, and disillusionment, but her face remained inscrutable. Every fiber of her being urged her to react, to confront the owner of that voice, but her unwavering discipline held her in check.
“No,Comare,” he said, as though reading her thoughts. “I’m not here to kill you. To the contrary, I came to ensure you remain alive.” His tone turned somber. “I tried getting to you earlier on the day you were shot, but you were surrounded by people the entire time. If I hadn’t followed you to your room, this conversation would be taking place at your graveside.”
Zafira’s face concealed her inner turmoil and hid any hint of a frown that threatened to surface. She delved deep into her memory, desperately sifting through the fragments that might explain her presence in this hospital room. Yet a painful void gnawed at her chest.
Like so many times before, vivid flashes of the events leading up to this moment raced through her mind. She recalled a relentless pursuit that had driven her to seek refuge in her bedroom, away from the turmoil in her life. It was a chase through the corridors of her mind, like a storm threatening to tear her apart. For the first time, flashes of a conversation echoed in her memory, shedding light on how she had ended up here in the hospital.
“When did you turn into a martyr, Zafira?” Bogdan’s voice carried a hint of sadness, which was a perfect complement to the expression of disillusionment on his face. “You have always known Viktor was no saint, but by God, if there’s one thing he never would’ve done, it was fuck you over with another woman.” He shook his head. “What he did was done in a moment of weakness that defined his drunkenness. He would never have consciously been unfaithful to you. It was over forty years ago. Viktor was my best friend, and you…” His eyes turned dark as he straightened his shoulders decisively. “The woman I have always loved. How could I have broken your heart by disclosing something I know he would never do if he hadn't been piss drunk?”
“Because I trust you with my life, Bogdan! I always have, and because I… because I…Blyad’! Just get out of my sight. I don’t want to see you. You’re darkening my mood, and I won’t allow it. Not today when I’m supposed to celebrate my son’s marriage.”
“I’ll go, but know this, Zafira, I will not accept the blame for your husband’s mistake.” He leaned closer until she could feel his breath on her lips. “Nor will I walk away from you. I will always be your protector. Not even you will prevent me from doing my heart’s duty.”
“Stop it!” Zafira’s voice turned as frigid as a winter’s breeze. “Don’t you get it? I don’t give a fuck about your… yourheart’sduty or your… yoursupposedlove! You betrayed my trust, and for that, I’ll never forgive you.”
With her posture rigid and unyielding, she strode away. Head tilted back in a manner that exuded regal grace, her demeanor was as impervious to emotion as a statue, a façade that masked the turmoil within her heart. Deep inside, emotions waged a ferocious battle. Bogdan had been the one man she had always trusted without reservation. So much so she had allowed him entry into the most sacred chambers of her heart—a trust that now felt like the deepest betrayal.
That was what hurt the most. That he had betrayed her heart.
The pain she felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced. It wasn't the physical wounds that stung but the emotional laceration that cut deepest. She forced herself to banish all thoughts and concealed her desperation beneath a usual veneer of sophistication as she navigated the crowd of guests with forced composure.
Her surroundings went unnoticed as she struggled to keep the tears at bay, an unfamiliar sensation for Zafira, who had never been one to cry. She yearned for solitude, a place where she could release the torrents of pain cascading in her chest.
“Thank God,” she sighed as she closed her bedroom door moments later. Kicking off her shoes, she walked toward the window. The trickle of tears on her cheeks felt cold, colder than any winter snow that had ever touched her skin—a perfect companion to the chill in her heart.
“I was such a fool to have believed I could find happiness again. Love and be loved. I should’ve known—”
A sudden intrusion disrupted her thoughts as the door clicked closed behind her a second time. As she turned to see who dared invade her privacy, a powerful force pushed her off-balance. If not for already being twisted in movement, she would surely have ended up on the floor.
“What the fuck—”
The words were cut short as something struck her with brutal force, flinging her against the wall. Her chest felt as if it had been torn apart, and she struggled to breathe.
Collapsing to the floor as her legs gave way, panic surged through her as she fought to comprehend the sudden, horrifying reality.
I’ve been shot. God, no. I’m not ready to die. I can’t leave things between Bogdan and me like…
But the black void of unconsciousness wrapped around her like a cocoon and dragged her from the living into a dark abyss.
Someone had been in the room with her—and that person had saved her life. How could everything be so insanely crazy all of a sudden? She hated this man for all he had done to her family, to her little princess. Now, all of a sudden, it seemed she was beholden to him.
Hold on, Zafira. How do you know it was him in the room?Sanity intervened and stopped her from acting impulsively.He could very easily have been the one who shot you. Obviously, he would’ve seen someone arrive to push you out of the way, right?
The room was shrouded in silence, broken only by the sound of her controlled breathing. She remained frozen, wrapped in layers of apprehension and resolve. Her subconscious mind was right. She had no way of knowing. At the time, she hadn’t seen who her benefactor was. Uncertainty gnawed at her as a stark reminder that her fate still hung in the balance. For all she knew, he was here to do just what she feared… to finish the job.
“Hmm, good,” he murmured as he paged through the reports in her patient folder. “It seems the wound has closed properly and is healing very well.” He checked her pulse. “A bit fast, but it’s to be expected since you don’t know if you can trust me. Either way, you’re well enough to be transported. The only reason you’re still here and alive is because Arian has this place locked up like Fort Knox.” A chilling laugh filled the room. “Not that it stopped me from getting inside.” His voice turned dark. “Worse, it wouldn’t keep your assassin out, especially since he’s such a trusted friend of the family.”
Zafira banked that last bit of information for further scrutiny later while she suppressed the desire to open her eyes and scream for help when she felt him remove the monitor connections from her arm. She knew him well enough to know he had planned this extraction to the last detail. He wanted her out of the hospital, and nothing she could attempt to do would keep her here. It was best to preserve her strength until a more appropriate opportunity presented itself to escape his clutches. More so, she needed to find out exactly what he was up to.
Zafira Guzun was adamant about keeping her children safe, even if it meant she had to give up her own life to do so.
